The Surrogate Application and Screening Process
My name is Britney Herringhsaw. I'm a 32 year old mum first, wife second and I have longed for this very opportunity to help another family bring life into theirs. I was born in the UK and lived in Florida for many years. Many of those years, Surrogacy has been on my mind. After moving to Upstate New York 3 years ago and learning that Surrogacy was a tough possibility here, I never thought for a second that the process in becoming a Surrogate would be this indescribable. You see, before NYSC and also before Covid showed its face, I actually
Independent Surrogacy vs. Agency Surrogacy: the Surrogate’s Perspective
Unless you are considering being a surrogate for a friend or family member, the advantages of working with a surrogacy agency often far outweigh the disadvantages. If you choose not to work with an agency, that’s considered an independent surrogacy journey. Screening & Eligibility Surrogates working with a surrogacy agency do have to be carefully screened before they’re approved to be matched (read about the details of that process here: Surrogacy Process - New York Surrogacy Center (nysurrogacycenter.com)). Although the surrogate screening process may seem like a lot of work, it’s a very important part of the overall process. The
Surrogate Eligibility
When it comes to determining if a woman is eligible to become a surrogate, there are legal requirements, agency policies, and fertility clinic requirements she must comply with. Legal RequirementsUnder New York Law, a woman must meet the following criteria to become a surrogate:• At least 21 years old• US citizen or legal permanent resident• Single, married with her spouse participating, or married but legally separated if her spouse is not participating (check out our blog on surrogates’ spouses: https://nysurrogacycenter.com/surrogacy-blogs/role-of-the-surrogates-spouse/)• Successfully complete a medical screening (see Fertility Clinic Requirements section below for what is considered during the medical screening)Agency PoliciesThe
Surrogates’ Bill of Rights
Surrogates in New York have some of the best protections in the whole world. New York has the Surrogates’ Bill of Rights that applies to every surrogate living in NY (regardless of whether they’re matched with out-of-state intended parents and following that state’s laws). Here’s a summary of your rights: Medical Decisions – you get to make all decisions regarding your health and the pregnancy. This includes big things like how many embryos to transfer, whether to terminate or continue a pregnancy and whether to selectively reduce a fetus. It also includes choosing your own medical providers, whether to receive
Role of The Surrogate’s Spouse
If you’re considering becoming a surrogate, it’s important not to forget about your spouse. You should talk to your spouse and make sure they’re on board. If they have questions you can’t answer, we’re happy to set up a time to talk directly to your spouse to explain the surrogacy process and their role and answer any questions they may have. (You can also share this blog post with them). Here are the main things your spouse will need to do throughout the surrogacy process: Attend the pre-match meeting with the intended parents (it’s important that your spouse likes and
Applying to Become a Surrogate
So you’ve decided to take the leap and apply to become a surrogate. Congrats! This is the beginning of a beautiful journey. Now what can you expect from the application process? New York Surrogacy Center’s application is about 15 pages long. I know that sounds like A LOT… but it’s really important for us to gather as much information about you as possible at the outset. We need to confirm that you are eligible to move forward (https://nysurrogacycenter.com/surrogates/eligibility/) and also learn more about you as a person and about your hopes for your surrogacy journey so we can select the
Surrogate Compensation
When I talk about how I represent surrogates and run a surrogacy agency, one of the questions people are the most curious about is how much compensation surrogates receive. However, I also find that they feel awkward asking about it. This shouldn't be a taboo subject! Surrogates are compensated generously – and there’s good reason for that. Being a surrogate is hard work – you go through a rigorous application and screening process before you even get to the pregnancy part. Then there’s the embryo transfer procedure, frequent medical appointments throughout the pregnancy and the delivery and recovery period. There’s
Would You Make A Good Surrogate?
You may be wondering if you’re the right type of person to become a surrogate. If you enjoyed being pregnant (at least until the killer 3rd trimester), are grateful to be a mom and want to help someone else who can’t otherwise become a parent, you should consider becoming a surrogate. Surrogates come from all walks of life. Some live in urban areas, others in suburban or rural areas. They are stay at home moms, teachers, nurses, administrative assistants, waitresses, small business owners, direct sales consultants, accountants, etc. Some surrogates are married and some are single. Surrogates can also range
